E-Paper
Former Andhra CM Jagan backs INDIA bloc’s push for paper ballots
On the day of the election results on June 4, YSRCP president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed doubts over the outcome.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has joined the chorus of the INDIA bloc demanding the revival of paper ballot system in place of electronic voting machines (EVMs) “to uphold the true spirit of our democracy.”
Jagan, who suffered a huge defeat in the hands of the Telugu Desam Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the recently concluded assembly and Lok Sabha elections, took to X on Tuesday to bat for the reintroduction of paper ballots in place of EVMs.
He said: “Just as justice should not only be served, but should also appear to have been served, so should democracy not only prevail but must appear to be prevalent undoubtedly.”
“In electoral practices across the world in almost every advanced democracy, paper ballots are used, not EVMs. We too must move towards the same in upholding the true spirit of our democracy,” he added.
On the day of the election results on June 4, Jagan expressed doubts over the outcome. “It is said frauds and injustices were committed in the elections, but I have no evidence to prove it. God only knows what truly happened. There is nothing more I can do,” he said.
YSRCP social media wing – YSJagan Trends (Siddham) also endorsed his view. In a post on X on Tuesday, the party said: “The shift towards paper ballots, as observed in many advanced democracies, is a step in the right direction. It enhances transparency, ensures verifiability, and bolsters public confidence in the electoral outcomes.”
“By adopting paper ballots, we can better uphold the true spirit of our democracy and strengthen the trust of our citizens in the democratic process. We demand paper ballot voting,” the YSRCP said.
In response to Jagan, the TDP said in a post on X: “Mr Pulivendula MLA, when your party got 151 seats, you were all the praise for the EVMs. When your party got 11 seats, you say that the EVMs were tampered, which is absolutely not correct.”
The party attached a video clipping which showed Jagan strongly endorsing the usage of the EVMs during the 2019 elections.
TDP general secretary and state minister for information technology Nara Lokesh, also pulled up Jagan for demanding that EVMs be replaced by ballot paper system.
“Let us face it @ysjagan, you’re allergic to democracy. You systematically destroyed institutions, systems and practices devoted to protecting people’s rights. You struck down in one stroke what the people of AP built collectively over the years. When you won in 2019, EVMs worked beautifully. When you lose in 2024, you blame the EVMs. Such hypocrisy. Perhaps you should reflect on your failed tenure and accept that people have rejected you outright…” Lokesh posted on X.
Jana Sena Party’s social media wing Sataghni also lashed out at Jagan for his demand for ballot papers and also blacking out Jana Sena on social media platforms. “It is surprising you are still crying over the usage of EVMs. The same Pulivendula MLA had made statements in support of EVMs in the past,” it said.
It advised Jagan to stop listening to such silly suggestions from his advisors like Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy. “If you continue to speak like this, you will end up losing one more digit from your existing 11 MLAs,” the Sataghni said.
